Transfer headed to PIAA appeals board

Zach Blystone’s desire to transfer from Charleroi to Washington was denied by the WPIAL Board of Control earlier this week, and now the case will go before the PIAA appeals board.

Blystone, who’s a 6-3, 265-pound lineman, was ruled ineligible at the WPIAL offices in Green Tree Monday based on the idea that he transferred with athletic intent.

“We believe there was athletic intent,” Charleroi athletic director Bill Wiltz said. “There might be pending litigation, so I can’t say much more than that.”

Washington plans to appeal the ruling, and Prexies athletic director Joe Nicolella confirmed that a hearing will take place at 2 p.m. next Wednesday, Aug. 14, at the PIAA headquarters in Mechanicsburg.

Blystone has withdrawn from Charleroi and will be attending Washington when classes resume.

High school football teams officially open camp Monday. Washington will remain at home, while Charleroi will travel to Slippery Rock University.

The last two area athletes to navigate this whole process were football/baseball player Patrick Frey (Trinity to McGuffey) and softball player Toni Spossey (Trinity to Charters-Houston).

Frey, whose family argued that he transferred to enroll in McGuffey’s vocation agriculture program, was ruled eligible by the WPIAL Board of Control. Spossey later won an appeal to the PIAA.